Skyrim’s Many Re-Releases Have Become “A Bit Of A Joke,” Dev Says

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Man, it’s kinda wild how many platforms Skyrim has been released on since 2011. I’ve seen it everywhere! One of the developers at Bethesda actually said they think it’s getting to the point where it’s almost a running joke how many versions there are.

Matt Carofano, the creative director at Bethesda for the recently launched Switch 2 Anniversary Edition of Skyrim, jokingly admitted to Nintendo Life that they release Skyrim quite frequently.

According to Carofano, Skyrim is a fantastic game, and they released it widely to make it accessible to as many players as possible.

He also talked about the possibility of releasing Skyrim on the Switch 2, noting that a new audience might experience the game for the first time on that console. He believes many players picking up a Switch 2 may never have played Skyrim before.

Since Bethesda had already released Skyrim on the original Switch, making a version for the Switch 2 was a relatively simple and fast process – much quicker than their usual game development projects.

He explained that while developing the game originally took many years, porting it to the new console was a significantly quicker process.

The developer explained how Bethesda utilized the capabilities of the Switch 2.

We primarily focused on utilizing the Switch 2’s improved capabilities. The new hardware allows for features like DLSS, which enhances resolution, performance, and loading times. We also incorporated support for mouse controls using the new Joy-Con 2 controllers. Essentially, we wanted to create the best possible Skyrim experience specifically for the Switch 2, maximizing what the console can offer players.

The Nintendo Switch version of Skyrim released this week, but players immediately noticed problems like sluggish controls. Bethesda is looking into these performance issues, but hasn’t said when they expect to have a solution.

Todd Howard, head of Bethesda, playfully acknowledged the numerous re-releases of Skyrim, saying they’ll continue as long as people keep buying it. Originally launched in 2011 for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC, Skyrim has since been re-released on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One (2016), Nintendo Switch (2017), and PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S (2021), with the latest version for Nintendo Switch launching on December 9th.

If you already have the Anniversary Edition of Skyrim on the original Switch, you can upgrade to the Switch 2 version at no cost. If you don’t own any version of Skyrim on Switch, the game is available for $60 on Switch 2. If you own the standard edition of Skyrim on Switch, you can upgrade to the Anniversary Edition for $20, which will then unlock the Switch 2 version for free. The Anniversary Edition includes the original game, all three official expansions, and access to content created by other players through Creation Club.

Skyrim has become one of the best-selling video games ever, with over 60 million copies sold. Even the game’s lead designer was surprised by its lasting success, anticipating another title would become more popular over time. A major reason for Skyrim’s continued popularity is its active modding community, where players constantly create new content that dramatically changes the game world.

Bethesda is developing the next installment in the Elder Scrolls series, The Elder Scrolls VI, which was first revealed back in 2018. However, there’s no confirmed release date yet. Recently, Todd Howard stated that the game is still quite a ways from being finished and asked fans to be patient. He’s even admitted to questioning whether announcing the game so early was the right decision.

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2025-12-11 18:09